The Miami Dolphins' search for a new general manager is underway. Mike McDaniel's future seems to be secure for another season, but there are questions about whether he could still be gone this year.
Stephen Ross is once again hoping to turn his franchise into something better than just being better than the Jets. His GM search will determine that direction. For the first time in his ownership career, he has brought in an outside voice, Troy Aikman, to help advise him through this search.
No matter what happens, however, or who is hired, Miami must avoid making the same mistakes over and over again. If they can't do that, 2026 will be over before it starts.
The Miami Dolphins can't rely on what they have done in the past, the team needs to be fixed
Miami may have good players on the roster, but few of them actually play cohesively. Identifying players that will help build the roster is one part of it; managing the money is another. All of this needs to be done while the team prepares for one of the toughest schedules in the NFL next year. To think people believe McDaniel can survive another season.
If the head coach is going to turn it around and deliver what he promised to do, return a "Storied franchise into a winner," then these five things can't happen next season.
The offensive line
Miami thought it was ok to start a rookie who clearly wasn't ready to play in the NFL. After several weeks of horrible game tape, Jonah Savaiinaea rarely showed flashes of what made him a second-round pick. Miami also added previously injured James Daniels, then scratched their heads when he went out in Week 1 for the year. Liam Eichenberg? Yep, poor tape in his first four seasons, but why not give him a fifth and put him on IR with knees that may never allow him to take another snap in the league?
The NFL Draft
Building through the draft is a lot easier said than actually done. Miami has missed so many times over the last nine seasons that it has become routine for there to be more busts than successes. In addition, the Dolphins need to realize when a player is not who they thought they were. Hanging onto a player for four years simply because of draft position can't be the norm or the expected. If a player can't get it right after two or three years, why should anyone believe that year four will be different?
Quarterback
McDaniel said the quarterback job will be a competition next season, regardless of who is on the roster, but that is the least of their problems. Identifying a QB with the leadership qualities is far more important, and if we add that to the equation, Tua Tagovailoa is out. Starting him again in 2026 will be another mistake that McDaniel should not be allowed to avoid accountability for making.
Play calling
As it stands, 2026 will be McDaniel's fifth year as the Dolphins' head coach. That's great, but his play-calling is still borderline atrocious. If next year starts the same, McDaniel has to give up that part of his job whether he likes it or not.
Stop signing players with major injury histories
Need depth at guard? Daniels makes sense. Need a starter? You don't put your season and roster at risk by signing players with significant injury histories. Last year, it wasn't just Daniels. Miami hugely needed cornerback help, so they signed Artie Burns, who had a long history of injuries in his NFL career.
The result? He tore his Achilles walking off the field after warm-ups on the very first day of practice. You can't win when you are spending more time working with street free agents who might help at the last minute.